The Sleuth of Cinnabar - Murder on the Island of Desire

[One Classy Hydra]

Stained red as they were, the ocean's waters were placid. The morning sun was shining on a mirror, and Blaine couldn't help but grimace back at the sour mug wearing shades on the other side.

The wind felt especially sharp, but that wasn't it. There mightn't have been a real reason at all, really, for the sudden prickling in his gut to tell him that something had just started to go very, very wrong. It was a new feeling– he'd never claimed to be the sort of investigator that needed the oft-purported 'instinct' that was so common in their field.

Still, it was hard to calm down again after you worked yourself up. Much as he tried, he found he couldn't just sit still.

Maybe it was the heat; the southern climate didn't really agree with him. Humidity ruined his leather. Besides, the rocking of the ship gave him ulcers, and he was sure the salt was going to ruin his hair.

He wouldn't have taken the blasted gig in the first place, all honest, but orders were orders. Even spurious requests became top-priority cases when budget season came calling; the Saffron Investigation League wasn't made of money, and turning down a Chrysanth's request was just asking to get dropped like a hot potato.

Honestly, from an objective standpoint, Blaine agreed with their decision. Didn't mean he had to like it, especially when he was the one being shipped off mainland to satisfy the whims of an entitled patron. Still, he'd do the job; he wasn't one to bellyache on the job. Rough as people took him sometimes, Blaine took pride in his professionalism.

So when the maid approached him, a petite number with cold, sad doe eyes, Blaine took the professional route of leaning casually against the guard rail and mocking up the most sincere smile he could muster.

"What's eatin' ya, doll?" he tilted his shades to get a better look, and immediately blanched. Her demeanor was altogether too familiar. "Need ta'... pick my brain about somethin'?"

"Yes- well, sir... I-" she paused before starting again. "I- I was told you were a detective, sir."

She swallowed as a silent moment passed next to the sea.

"A-and... there's been a murder! Aboard this very ship!"

 

[One Classy Hydra]

Dossiers

Chapter 1 - Salt and Secrets of the Scarlet Sea

Characters​

Blaine is a private investigator and pokemon trainer from Saffron. Due to the request of a client related to the investors of his organization, he is travelling to Cinnabar. After having caught a private yacht from Fuchsia to the island on suggestion from a friend, he finds himself in the middle of an impromptu murder investigation.
Blaine often makes an intimidating and uncouth appearance at first, due to his signature 'look' entailing a black leather riding jacket, long greased back hair, and a pair of sunglasses, but he is in actuality a consummate professional that can't allow a villain in his vicinity to go unpunished.
He is a highly intelligent graduate of Saffron U, and an experienced pokemon battler, all at the modest age of 24.​

​

Edmin Detari, a man in an impressive business suit, was murdered in the night aboard a yacht travelling from the port of Fuchsia to Cinnabar Island.
As far as Blaine is aware, this could have taken place anywhere between when they drew anchor at 17:00 the previous day, and 6:30 of the current morning.

Eri Rhodes is the ship's resident maid. She attends to the needs of the guests, and also serves as the ship's only true crew. Upon hearing the captain report a dead body in the hold, she immediately sought out Blaine in order to begin an investigation. Blaine would presume she is about 18 years old.

The Captain has been hitherto unseen by Blaine. He discovered the body during a morning inspection of the hold. He currently holds the only key to the area. Though he informed the guests and Eri, he did not seek out to inform Blaine, or ask for his services.

Professor Robert Aspen is a middle-aged guest of the yacht traveling to Cinnabar. Given his positive demeanor and uncomfortable wear, Blaine surmises he is travelling to a new position on Cinnabar Island. Though he has plenty of energy, it's clear that he's getting on in years.

Sir Lym Sierg is a traveler and likely professional card player. Last night, he played a game with the other guests and won in a big way. He wears fashionable if out of date clothing well, and seems perpetually tired. His accent indicates he has spent a significant amount of time in the Kalos region, which raises the question of why he is travelling to Cinnabar. His age is difficult to pin, but he's certainly not beyond his 30s.

Primula is a self-declared traveler. She has yet to speak a word to Blaine, but her well-kept golden tresses, simple yet valuable attire and bodyguard are clear indications of her wealth and likely importance. She 'claims' to be from Hoenn. Blaine would guess she is slightly older than 20.

Anyula is a self-declared traveler. Her physique, muted attire and professional demeanor suggest she is Primula's bodyguard of some sort. She claims to be from Hoenn. Blaine would guess she is somewhere in her 40s.

Pokémon

Slowbro

Slowbro​

Loyalty: 3
Wits: 20
Power: 11
Endurance: 15
Speed: 2​

​

A veteran Pokemon belonging to the Saffron Investigation League. He has been assigned for the foreseeable future to Blaine, and serves as his most powerful ally.

While Slowbro is experienced in both battle and investigation, he does not respect Blaine as much beyond a temporary owner. He is prone to lethargy and slacking off when not provided adequate motivation.
​

Traits​

Water Type
This pokemon is a water type, giving it increased mastery of water-type moves. It is able to breathe in water and swim without meaningful effort.
It receives reduced damage from water, fire, ice and steel attacks, but increased damage from electric and grass attacks.

Psychic Type
This pokemon is a psychic type, giving it increased mastery of psychic-type moves. It is able to sense the intentions of those around it to a limited degree, as well as learn at an accelerated pace compared to most pokemon. Psychic pokemon have greatly increased cognition, but are more easily tricked than most others.
It receives reduced damage from psychic and fighting attacks, but increased damage from bug, dark and ghost attacks.

Oblivious
This pokemon has a unique mental state which makes it incapable of being affected by emotional manipulation. They cannot be infatuated, taunted, or receive a positive mental state from any actions undertaken by others during battle. However, it may still be affected by changes in emotional state caused by its own actions or attacks (such as through Calm Mind).

Own Tempo
This pokemon has a unique mental state which makes it incapable of being confused, disoriented, fazed, or subjected to telekinetic change in mental state (such as through Skill Swap or Disable)

Regenerator
This pokemon has a particularly rapid rate of self restoration. When removed from immediate danger, it can restore even a large loss in physical mass so long as it retains a certain level of metabolic energy. The rate of healing is equivalent to about 30% of its total health every action cycle.
​

Attacks
​

Heal Pulse - Psychic | 3E
The Pokemon uses psychic power to form a ball of healing energy, which it fires as a short-range missile.
A pokemon that absorbs the energy will regain health and vigor equivalent to about half of their maximum health.
This attack can be used to restore the energy, but not physical condition, of non-pokemon living things.

Yawn - Normal | 1E
The pokemon uses the power of suggestion to entice the opponent to take a nap.
If the opponent has low morale after the next action they take, they will either fall asleep or leave the combat if possible. Otherwise, after the next action they take, the opponent will lose morale.
The opponent must be susceptible to mental suggestion for this attack to work.

Disable - Normal | 3E
The pokemon uses the power of suggestion to momentarily force the opponent to stop doing a certain action.
The opponent will be unable to perform the last specific action they did until about a minute has passed.
The opponent must be susceptible to mental suggestion for this attack to work.

Slack Off - Normal | 0E
The pokemon forces itself to mentally disengage from the current battle. The user's mental state returns to its default, and it regains energy equal to about half of its maximum.
Until the next command, this pokemon will consider itself not in combat.

Psychic - Psychic | 14D / 3E
The pokemon uses potent telepathic waves to bludgeon the opponent psychokinetically. This is both a mental and physical psychic attack coordinated on a single foe. It may lower the morale of the opponent.
The user must have a clean line of sight and the ability to focus in order to use this attack, which may be impacted by outside distractions.

Flamethrower - Fire | 9D / 2E
The pokemon produces flame within its mouth, and releases it as a solid stream. This may burn the opponent.
In order to do damage, the user must have use of their jaws, and the flames must contact the opponent.

Scald - Water | 12D / 2E
The pokemon releases a large amount of boiling water from its mouth. This will easily burn opponents that can be burned and do not resist this attack. In order to do damage, the user must have use of their jaws, and the water must contact the opponent.​

Growlithe

Growlithe​

Loyalty: 20
Wits: 7
Power: 10
Endurance: 5
Speed: 9
​

Blaine's oldest and most trust ally, who he has trained since he was a puppy. His skill in battle is highly dependent on the strategy Blaine employs, because he trusts his master too much in order to execute independent actions while under his direct command.

Growlithe is passionate about helping Blaine, and as such will put forth his full effort regardless of the task. His impetuousness and energy allows him to find clues in difficult or hard to reach areas, combined with his keen sense of smell.

​

Traits​

Fire Type
This pokemon is a fire type, giving it increased mastery of fire-type moves. It receives reduced damage from fire, bug, fairy, grass, ice and steel attacks, but increased damage from ground, rock and water attacks. It cannot be burned, and maintains a high inner temperature regardless of its surrounding circumstances.​

Pickup
This pokemon has a propensity for finding discarded items.
Useful objects, clues included, are easily discovered by this pokemon outside of battle. During battles, this pokemon can sometimes retrieve items from fallen opponents.

Flash Fire
This pokemon has the ability to absorb and store fire within its body.
It can absorb flames produced from other sources in order to later release at no cost to itself. This pokemon does not receive damage from absorbing fire, but may incur damage if unable to absorb the flames for some reason.

Justified
This pokemon's particular sense of justice and fair play gives it a strong boost in morale when attacked during battle by a Dark attack, or any attack that might be considered particularly unsporting. However, the pokemon will also be less willing to use Dark-elemental attacks or unsporting strategies in return.

Attacks​

Fire Fang - Fire | 10D / 2E
The pokemon produces flame within its mouth, then bites the opponent vigorously. This may burn the opponent.
In order to do damage, the user must have use of their jaws, and be able to contact the opponent.

Reversal - Fighting | 2-20D / 2E
The pokemon strikes the opponent with a spinning attack, using the momentum from an opponent's action.
The attack's damage varies depending on the user's morale. The user must be in close quarters combat with an opponent in order to
Use this move, must have full control of their own body, and must be able to contact the opponent to deal damage.

Dig - Ground | 8D / 3E
The pokemon burrows beneath the ground quickly, before leaping out once again in order to strike from an unpredictable angle.
The ground must be sufficiently soft earth in order to use this attack, as must the user have full control of their own body.
The opponent must be earthbound in order to contact the opponent with this attack, and this attack must be able to contact the opponent to deal damage.

Wild Charge - Electric | 9D / 2E
The pokemon surrounds its body with electricity using momentum, then recklessly tackles the opponent. The electricity will also flow into the user, inflicting 4D following the attack's conclusion. The user must have full control of their body and the ability to move around sufficiently to build up momentum for this attack, and must be able to contact the opponent to deal damage.

Odor Sleuth - Normal | 0E
The pokemon uses its keen sense of smell to identify and track the opponent. This eliminates the ability for the opponent to hide in order to avoid attacks, including Ghost types, and reduces their ability to avoid being hit. This requires the opponent to be a being with a unique scent. The user may be disoriented if a particularly powerful or dangerous scent is in the air. The user must have control of their olfactory senses to use this attack.

Howl - Normal | 0E
The pokemon howls loudly in order to increase its own morale. This may increase the morale of allies, and decrease the morale of enemies, depending on the situation. The user must have control of their vocal chords to use this attack.

Agility - Psychic | 1E
The pokemon calms and relaxes its mental state, allowing it to move easier and with greater precision. The user's reflexes become significantly faster. The user must be in a neutral mental state in order to use this attack.

Grimer

Grimer​

Loyalty: 7
Wits: 3
Power: 5
Endurance: 9
Speed: 5

Blaine's most recent pokemon, a recent capture acquired from a different mission.
Grimer is apathetic and generally reliable, though he is still watching his new trainer closely to see if he will be able to gain anything from his instruction.​

While Grimer has never helped an investigation before, his unique physical makeup allows him to reach areas others can't, and provides a different direction of investigation from the other members of Blaine's team.

​

Traits​

Poison Type
This pokemon is a poison type, giving it increased mastery of poison-type moves. It receives reduced damage from poison, fighting, bug, grass, and fairy attacks, but increased damage from ground and psychic attacks. It cannot be poisoned, and can consume a wide variety of organic and synthetic matter without particular harm to itself.​

Stench
This pokemon has a particularly pungent odor that makes it unappealing to be approached.
Humans and pokemon, particularly those with a strong sense of smell, will have a greater chance to fail at any given action when in close proximity to this pokemon. However, this pokemon can never infatuate or succeed at using any attempt to appeal to an opponent affected by this ability.

Water Absorb
This pokemon has the ability to absorb and store water within its body.
It can absorb water from other sources in order to later release at no cost to itself. This pokemon does not receive damage from absorbing water, but may incur damage if unable to absorb the liquid for some reason.

Poison Touch
The basic surface of this pokemon conducts a variety of toxins, making any physical contact carry the possibility of poisoning an enemy.

Attacks​

Sludge Wave - Poison| 12D / 3E
The pokemon will spray a wave of toxic sludge at the opponent, scattering dangerous waste in the process. Touching the waste may cause one to become poisoned. In order to do damage, the opponent must be hit by the initial spray.

Mud Bomb - Ground | 6D / 3E
The pokemon will throw a large glob of wet clay at the opponent. This may impact the pokemon's vision, decreasing their reflexes.
In order to do damage, the opponent must be hit by the clay.

Haze - Ice | 3E
The pokemon releases a thick odorless bank of smoke, which heavily impacts the senses of those who inhale it.
For a brief period as the haze reaches its zenith, no individual will be able to locate any other within the fog. All pokemon will be considered not in combat until the haze lifts.

Minimize - Normal | 3E
The pokemon rapidly compacts its body into a far smaller shape, increasing its reflexes significantly. However, it becomes incapable of increasing
its guard, and takes increased damage from particularly large opponents.

Fling - Dark | ?D / 2-4E
The pokemon will toss an object it can find at the opponent. The damage and effort it requires to do so, as well as the additional effects, depend on what it throws. The pokemon cannot throw anything more than twice its weight.

Rules

• During each Chapter, there is at least one murderer.
• The identity of this murderer must be determined by searching for clues, and obtaining testimony from those involved in the case.
• You may be required to subdue murderers (and others) in Pokemon battles, in addition to uncovering their crimes.
• During Investigation segments, you have a limited number of moves to investigate an area. This includes interrogating the people in this area. It's imperative to use not only the given options, but effective write-ins to discover new clues.
• In order for a write-in to be accepted, it must have at least three votes in its favor.
• People can only ever vote for three options, regardless of how many actions are given.
• By solving various Mysteries, including ones tangentially or not related to the murder, you will unlock Achievements and obtain Sleuth Points.
• Sleuth Points can also be earned for fan participation (art, omakes, miscellaneous) at my discretion.
• Sleuth Points can be redeemed at the end of a chapter for benefits, including new Pokemon, tools, meta hints, and secrets.
• Sleuth Points can also be redeemed during a chapter (so long as at least five different individuals vote for it) for a Clue Hint. However, using hints may reduce the number of Sleuth Points you acquire at the end of the chapter.

Achievements

Sleuth Points

0 / 60

Chapter 1

Lucky Suspect 7	?	10
Concealed Claws	?	10
International Connection	?	10
Romance Across Tides	?	25
Cut of the Cards	?	25
Uncharted Territory	?	25
First Notch	Reveal the correct killer the first time, without using a hint.	50
A Touch Warmer	?	50
Sealegs	?	50
By Another Name	?	50
Lingering Inconsistency	?	100

 

[One Classy Hydra]

Chapter 1 – Salt and Secrets of the Scarlet Sea

The ship was modest enough. Once a military cruiser, it was decommissioned in the years following the war and subsequently took to running the notorious Fuchsia-Cinnabar run for small parties either too impatient or too rich to make the round trip to Vermilion for a real liner.

For a yacht, it was a subdued single floor affair with eight modest bedrooms, a lounge, kitchen, bathrooms and an isolated captain's box in the front. Beneath the deck was a shipping hold once used to ferry supplies– in general, it was the sort of backstage area no-one would give two thoughts to.

Mr. Edmin Detari, age 46, was found slaughtered this morning among the freight.

"It's always the politicos, isn't it," Blaine spat.

He had been as familiar with the victim as he had been with the other passengers, which was to say not at all. They'd weighed anchor in the late afternoon and he'd been groggy enough after the trip down from Fuchsia that he hit the sack immediately.

Yet though he'd never met Detari, Blaine knew all he needed from seeing him once. Shined shoes, primped jacket with a logo sewn into the collar, the winning smile of a starving Arbok– he was a like kind with the urban predators that stalked Saffron's main street back home. Nobody went to Cinnabar dressed like that unless they were looking to schmooze up to the island's honchos.

"So, Doll. Where did everyone cut out to?"

"Allow me to explain," the chestnut-haired maid replied with a short bow. "My name is Eri, sir. Eri Rhodes."

It took a moment before Blaine realized she wasn't adding anything else.

"A-ha, you're a plucky one. I'm with it; I gotta call you Rhodes, righto?"

"Eri is fine, sir," she said placidly. "The rest of the passengers should be in the lounge. I apologize, but I must report to the captain; he carries the only key to the scene, I'm afraid."

Blaine winked. "Went behind his back in getting' me, then?"

She merely smiled, and with a brief curtsy, left for the captain's box.

The moment she was out of eyesight, Blaine sighed as if he was a deflating balloon. Truth be told, this was exactly the sort of thing he was afraid of. Where there was smoke, there was fire. It was just like him to get tangled up in something when he was shipped out as a complete formality.

Well, it wasn't like he shied away from a challenge. Even now, his heart was starting to pound– this was exactly the sort of thing he'd signed up for. Now, if only it'd been a ship to anywhere else besides his own personal little island of troubles...

Well, it wasn't like he could do anything about it now. Shoving his worries and the door out of the way, Blaine entered the lounge.

It was a cozy affair, with several couches, a minibar, and a short table made for games of cards over a brandy on the rocks. The scent of coffee filled the air, flowing from a half-empty pot in the corner, sitting atop a hotplate. It would have been a pleasant enough salon, had not four pairs of unfamiliar been immediately drawn towards him.

"I see we've found just the man we were looking for," laughed a middle-aged man sitting alone in one of the couches. He rose first, and immediately, to shake Blain's hand as he walked in. Blaine resisted a grimace; the only reason a man would be that eager to meet an investigator is if it made a pleasant digression from the topic at hand. He could almost imagine the frigidity of talking small when you knew someone aboard the ship was a murderer.

"Professor Robert Aspen, at your service," he said with a genial smile. He had a broad face with wide eyes clearly marked with decades of ill sleep, and poorly wore a dark cotton suit that looked like it was about to strangle him. "It seems the both of us are in for a long week, I'm afraid."

"Blaine, P.I. I wouldn't get too cranked just yet, Teach," he gave a very deliberate smile to the other three. "We just gotta catch the punk killer, wouldn'tcha say?"

Most gave him odd looks, but Aspen just laughed. "Well said, Mr. Blaine. I will say, when the girl mentioned there was a dick on board, the last thing I imagined was a modern young man like yourself. You've certainly made my day."

"Fraid there's few cats like me no matter where you look," Blaine said, shrugging it off. He was slicker than the average schmo on the street, it was true. "Fresh eyes haven't had a chance ta' go moldy quite yet."

"Ha! Well, that's true enough," Aspen said smiling, "I assume you have eyes beneath those sunglasses, then?" he added a fair-mannered barb before turning to the others. "Ah, I believe I've been remiss in my manners? Allow me to introduce our companions," he said, turning first to a dark-haired man shuffling a deck of cards on the other side of the table.

"This good fellow is Sir Lym Sierg, professional cardsharp."

Sierg chuckled at that, a low sound that befit his pale face. He was a slight man with youthful features and a sharp sense of dress, though the cut of his suit seemed a decade or two out of date.

"You do me too much honor, master Aspen," he said with a thick Kalosian accent. "I am little more than a tourist, who has perhaps a bit too much fun along the way."

He stifled a yawn.

"My apologies master detective, but the time, it is earlier than I trend to rising at. I apologize if I forget my manners," he said, inclining his head briefly. Blaine noticed him flicking a pair of cards between his hands quickly as he spoke.

"As all of us can attest, Sir Sierg is a champion on the game table," Aspen continued, undeterred. "I have never been so thankful to travel on a light wallet."

Sierg waved off the non-compliment with a chuckle and another attempt at a wave, before attention was drawn to the remaining two women in the room. One was tall and young, with golden tresses, a serious face and harsh blue eyes matching a simple blue dress bound about the waist with a ribbon. Though it complimented her slim form well, Blaine noted it wasn't a fashion particularly inclined to the season. Nor, in fact, did it work to mask its owner's obvious affluence.

The other was short where the other was tall, with the lined face of a woman at least in her forties and a short, bobbed haircut, greased black. Her frame was stocky for a woman's and she wore a man's suit with practiced ease. A guard of some sort, clearly.

"And you are...?" Blaine began, and seeing there was no response forthcoming, cleared this throat. "Ah, that is to say..." he mumbled, "I have the honor of making the acquaintance of...?"

The silence continued until Aspen coughed politely enough to break it.

"My apologies; I'm afraid not quite all of us have acquiesced to your investigation..." he said, looking a little bashful about the affair. "These two are Primula and Anyula, travelers."

"I think 'travelers' covers all of us, Teach. You might want to be a bit more specific."

The blonde glanced between Blaine and her companion briefly, but it was the dark haired one who spoke first.

"We are ambassadors from the southern colonies of Hoenn. I apologize, but our nation limits what we might tell you in this trying circumstance," she said, sounding as if she were reading off of a cue card.

Hoenn was a popular sort of place to be from if you didn't want to make enemies, Blaine mused. It was distant enough that you weren't liable to be caught out, regardless of how far fetched the lie. Few Kantoans knew enough about the southern island colonies to call anyone out.

Given the way blondie avoid looking him directly in the eye, he guessed she didn't know much about Hoenn either.

Blaine didn't smile, but part of him wanted to, a little. Sniffing out the truth a little bit at a time, regardless of how poorly the upper crust might try lying– it was the sort of thing that made life worth living, really.

---

Investigation – Lounge Area

Characters available to speak with: Professor Aspen, Sir Sierg, Primula, Anyula

Total Actions for this Investigation: 5

[] Speak with {Character}
-[] What's your alibi?
-[] Where are you from?
-[] {Write in}

[] Investigate {Place or Object in Lounge}

You may only vote for 3 of the 5 actions in this turn.

---

BONUS VOTE

On the first turn of the quest, you are gifted with 60 Sleuth Points. You must spend some of these now on the Pokemon that Blaine currently carries. Sleuth Points can be used in between Chapters for new pokemon or bonuses, or during chapters for Hints.

Blaine is currently carrying only one of his pokemon with him on this trip, that being...

[] Grimer, the least experienced pokemon he owns. (20 SP)
[] Growlithe, his oldest and most trusted partner. (40 SP)
[] Slowbro, a veteran pokemon entrusted to him by the Saffron Investigation League (60 SP)

 

[One Classy Hydra]

(This vote is valid, but intended to demonstrate how voting should look)

[X] Speak with Professor Aspen
-[X] What's your alibi?

[X] Speak with Primula
-[X] Are you sure you're from Hoenn?

[X] Investigate the Coffee Pot

[X] Growlithe

 

[Oh I am slain!]

I'm really liking the quest concept. I'll take a closer look and figure out a vote later today--just leaving a post first, since new quests need to be frequently bumped to get views on the front page of the forum.

 

[Oh I am slain!]

Alright, I reread the story post. I'm seriously loving the feel of it--you did a thorough job of establishing its detective mystery credentials.


[x] Speak with Professor Aspen
-[x] What's your alibi?
[x] Speak with Sir Sierg
-[x] What's your alibi?
[x] Speak with Primula
-[x] What's your alibi?

Will he be more sneaky than directly asking "What's your alibi"? Probably less effective if he does use more roundabout questions, but the sheer bluntness of directly asking that could be entertaining. ^_^

Anyway, I think simply asking about alibis will get some of the basic facts established. Figuring out motives will follow later, but best not to let thoughts about motives bias his thinking yet.

[x] Slowbro, a veteran pokemon entrusted to him by the Saffron Investigation League (60 SP)

Not entirely sure if the point-spending is worth it, but they're on a boat (water!) and investigating a murder mystery (psychic powers! maybe). Plus, Slowbro has some nifty utility moves (Heal Pulse, Yawn, Disable, Slack Off, etc.).

---

Hmm. Initial thoughts regarding these people:

1) What's Professor Aspen's specialty?
2) Had any of the passengers interacted with Detari beforehand or during the trip?
3) Do any of the other passengers already know that the two woman are obviously lying? What do they think of the lie?
4) Could try to separate the two woman at some point, to question them individually.
5) Why did the maid seek out Blaine, but not the Captain? (Based on the info in the Dossier)
6) Aspen is exceedingly enthusiastic, and can be used as an attack dog of sorts, to spontaneously ask additional questions of the other passengers.
7) Sir Sierg yawned? Might be a red herring, but we'll see.

 

[One Classy Hydra]

Alright, I reread the story post. I'm seriously loving the feel of it--you did a thorough job of establishing its detective mystery credentials.

Click to shrink...

Thanks. I'm a huge fan of golden-age mystery, and I thought it'd be fun to combine with a light noir twist, since I wanted to do a Pokemon period piece.

Will he be more sneaky than directly asking "What's your alibi"? Probably less effective if he does use more roundabout questions, but the sheer bluntness of directly asking that could be entertaining. ^_^

Click to shrink...

Eh, at the moment everyone's aware he's a detective and researching the murder. In that scenario, it's not really unexpected to be asked for an alibi. Less direct questioning tends to be more effective if you already know most of who they are and what they did that day anyway.

Not entirely sure if the point-spending is worth it, but they're on a boat (water!) and investigating a murder mystery (psychic powers! maybe). Plus, Slowbro has some nifty utility moves (Heal Pulse, Yawn, Disable, Slack Off, etc.).

Click to shrink...

Slowbro is indeed the most powerful of the offered Pokemon and suited to the terrain (hence the high cost), though they all have their unique advantages.

To clear things up before hand, though; while psychic pokemon are quite powerful in this universe, they have limited abilities in terms of reading minds and communicating that information to their trainers.

Even humans psychics find reading minds to be incredibly difficult, far more so than teleportation or psychokinetic tricks.

 

[One Classy Hydra]

Alright, turnout here's been a bit tepid. I'll update in the morning with the investigation and see if we don't uptick a couple of voters, otherwise I'll let the thread hibernate for a while and try again in a month or so.

 

[One Classy Hydra]

Of course, the first thing to do at the scene of a crime was see how everyone fit in.

"Alright boys and girls, everyone got their alibis ready?" Blaine asked while making a particular show of affixing his glasses. He got a lot of blank stares in return, but Aspen, at least, seemed to get a kick out of his way of dealing with a group.

"That's certainly a way of handling it, Slick," Aspen said with a bemused grin. "Did ya miss out the day they were teaching how to do an interrogation, or is this just some newfangled Modernist shakeup of police work?"

"Note the Private 'P' in 'P.I.', Teach," Blaine responded smoothly. "This isn't my first turn at the rodeo, and frankly we don't forever to get everything settled. After that boat docks, we can all bet the killer here'll be gone with the goods. Trust me on that one."

That time, everyone was quiet. Aspen included.

"Dare I ask why, sir investigator?" Sierg spoke up. Of everyone gathered, he was the hardest to read– natural for a cardsharp, Blaine had to suppose.

"Simple. As long as we're on the waves, this boat is what we call a 'closed circle'. Nothing comes in, nothing gets out."

He walked over to the coffee pot to take a closer look. It was a standard sort of thing– old and just barely functional. If Blaine was feeling like betting himself, he'd put money on the fact the burning and pot had been here long before any of the fancy bookshelves or sofas had been pulled in.

"We'll start with an easy one. Who put the joe on?"

Silence.

"Work with me people."

"I... believe that was the maid," Aspen said after a moment's thought. "After gathering us here, she made us a pot. I think it was nicer than yesterday's, actually."

Sierg had pulled a deck of cards as they talked, and riffled it idly. "Good sir, you merely believe so because you left early yesterday, yes?" he paused to give a rueful smile. "Kanto men, you take your coffee so light, it might as well be water. The brew yesterday steeped for longer as the game wore on."

"The game?" Blaine asked, but he knew the answer a moment later. He'd already been told, after all.

"Of course, sir. You heard how I took them for a, ah you would say, 'a ride', no? It began, ah, I believe around nineteen-hundred hours last night."

Aspen nodded. "Indeed. I'm afraid, Mr. Blaine, that all of us have the exact same alibi for last night– we were playing a game of cards, Sir Detari included." He shrugged his shoulders sheepishly. "At the time, I was regretting it– games of chance aren't my forte."

"Ah, but monsieur Aspen, you were the light of our game," Sierg said with a laughing smile. "I will say, your presence was very welcome. Very welcome indeed."

"As the fat Persian said to the Rattata," Aspen said, bitter only in jest.

"I see. And how did the rest of you do in this game?" Blaine turned to look at the female pair, conspiring to force them to break their silence.

Anyula was avoiding making any movements whatsoever, but her blonde companion couldn't help but look like she wanted to say something. She resisted, and it was the older woman with dark hair who spoke in her stead.

"Glacia and I joined the game early. Neither of us earned money over the course of the match," she said quickly and precisely. "However we did not lose the sum total of our bets. Edmin Detari had left his seat before us."

"And how well did he play?"

"Poorly," was all Anyula responded with. After a moment, Sierg nodded his head in agreement.

"I refuse to speak ill of the dead," he said after a moment's thought.

"So," Blaine started, "You mean to say, he bottomed out and left the game early, then?"

Again, complete silence.

"Which is to say... nobody in this room has an actual alibi for the time of the murder? Well, if that ain't all," Blaine said, shaking his head.

"We can guaranty each-other, those of us who were playing after he left," Aspen said placidly. "Unfortunately, it's only an alibi of a couple hours, but it's something, I suppose?"

Aspen supposed wrong. Time of death estimates were rarely reliable, and if the corpse was already a day old after sitting in a boat's loading dock, there was nothing for it– there was zero chance a qualified professional, let alone Blaine doing a casual check, could pin the time of death accurately for a few hours either way to matter.

Of course. That didn't mean that it was entirely useless testimony, of course.

Since nobody claimed otherwise, Blaine could assume that the first to leave the table had been Detari himself. In those next fateful few hours, the game would play out, and the losers would, presumably, leave. The game itself would be done by the time night fell, and then the body would be discovered in the freight deck.

It was still early, but Blaine was starting to get a grasp of the movements of the players involved. It would still take more, though.

"Thank you for your time, gentlemen. Ladies," he said with a practiced bow. It wasn't exactly a natural fit given his aggressive exterior, he supposed.

"One last question. You, doll with the golden hair–" he directed at the one suspect in the room who had ardently refused to speak up thus far, perhaps not even according to her own will. "You do know that Hoenn's a god awful place to claim to be from, right?" he laughed a little. "I mean, c'mon. Name the archipelago's second-biggest island. I dare ya."

"...Mossdeep, you presumptive cretin," she said, finally.

It was a bit of a personal relief, honestly.

"Thanks," he said with a smile. "Lovely voice, doll. Afraid your accent's a little too cosmopolitan, though."

He left it at that, though he doubted he'd get a response, and opened the cabin door again.

It was time to speak with the captain, he decided.

---

Lounge investigation is done for now. Next up will be the Steering Room, as well as the interrogation of the Captain and the maid, Eri Rhodes.

The Bonus Vote for the partner Blaine took with him is still open; I've added dossiers for all three potentials to the 'Pokemon' tab of the index.
Feel free to discuss what you'd like to ask the Captain and Maid, though an official vote won't happen until the next post.

 

[Oh I am slain!]

"Simple. As long as we're on the waves, this boat is what we call a 'closed circle'. Nothing comes in, nothing gets out."

Click to shrink...

Hmm. *suspicious*

"Alright boys and girls, everyone got their alibis ready?" Blaine asked while making a particular show of affixing his glasses. He got a lot of blank stares in return, but Aspen, at least, seemed to get a kick out of his way of dealing with a group.

"That's certainly a way of handling it, Slick," Aspen said with a bemused grin. "Did ya miss out the day they were teaching how to do an interrogation, or is this just some newfangled Modernist shakeup of police work?"

Click to shrink...

Ha, I'm still quite enjoying the commitment to this style.

"Of course, sir. You heard how I took them for a, ah you would say, 'a ride', no? It began, ah, I believe around nineteen-hundred hours last night."

Aspen nodded. "Indeed. I'm afraid, Mr. Blaine, that all of us have the exact same alibi for last night– we were playing a game of cards, Sir Detari included."

Click to shrink...

Noted.

"So," Blaine started, "You mean to say, he bottomed out and left the game early, then?"

Again, complete silence.

"Which is to say... nobody in this room has an actual alibi for the time of the murder? Well, if that ain't all," Blaine said, shaking his head.

Click to shrink...

They're all in on it! Ahhhh xD

"Thanks," he said with a smile. "Lovely voice, doll. Afraid your accent's a little too cosmopolitan, though."

Click to shrink...

Ha, maybe this will get the other passengers questioning the women while he's gone.

---

Feel free to discuss what you'd like to ask the Captain and Maid, though an official vote won't happen until the next post.

Click to shrink...

Hmm.
- alibi
- anything unusual they've noticed since the journey began
- the order and circumstances of the ticket purchases (if they knew about such things)

I guess there's also more to be asked about Detari's body and the room he's in, but I presume those can wait till he sees Detari's body first.

---

*checks the Pokemon profiles*
Oh! I completely missed the fact that all three are on his team, and that we're merely choosing the one who is on the ship with him. Nevertheless, I'm sticking with Slowbro--for sensing general intentions, and for overboard emergencies. And speed isn't exactly as necessary in an enclosed ship.

Hopefully, the cost isn't prohibitive. And admittedly, Growlithe could be useful with Odor Sleuth on the ship, to see who has visited Detari's room.

Psychic pokemon have greatly increased cognition, but are more easily tricked than most others.

Click to shrink...

Neat, makes sense.

---

By the way, you could try advertising in a few more threads:

Pokemon Discussion & Recommendations Thread (Quests, Fanfiction) (Not that active, but has maybe 30-40 Pokemon fic & quest fans who will see it.)
Pokémon Fanficion Ideas, Recs, and Discussion Thread (Very active, but on SB, and almost entirely fic-focused.)

I dunno if it would be better to advertise now, or wait till your next post that has a vote.

 

[Markala]

Ooooooo~! New Pokemon quest! Watched!

[X] Growlithe, his oldest and most trusted partner. (40 SP)

Was a toss-up b/w Growlithe and Slowbro, but erred on the side of caution and decided to save those Sleuth Points for later, who says that fools take the middle road?! Let's dodge some cars! ;3

Also, looks good so far, liking the whole mystery thing (even though admittedly I'm not the best at them but I'll try my best!), great job and keep up the good work!

 

[TearfulDevil]

[X] Growlithe, his oldest and most trusted partner. (40 SP)